Thumbnail History:

Description of property:

From Listed Building records: House, now house and shop. Mid 18th century altered early 19th century. Tiled roof with end chimney and two gabled dormers with glazing bar sashes, dentilled eaves and band at first floor, variegated brick with rubbed flat arches over openings. Two storeys and attic. Tripartite glazing bar sashes with exposed frames flanking single sash, 19th century shop front to left with tall pilasters, fascia and blind box, central 6-panel door in plain surround with flat hood on cut brackets, tripartite sash to right.

- Hungerford Carnival c.1956. One of the fund-raisers was the "Lump of Coal" competition. A huge lump of coal is on the lorry outside Roy Alexander's coal merchant's shop, 120 High Street (now "Martin & the Magpie" florists). Roy Alexander is standing outside his shop with tickets in hand; Miss Bell, who sold pet foods and took coal orders is proudly posed for the picture. The competition cost 3d. a guess. The prize..? "Guess the weight, and win the lump!". This one weighed in at 14 cwt.

Timeline:

1752 (NH) Will of Joseph Shipton: Freehold messuage with malthouse and 17½ acres which were bought by me from Mr Hawkins to Joseph Westall, grandson (another 6 acres, apparently separate, to Mary Joseph Shipton's widow, for life and after to Joseph Westall, when he is 21).

1753 (QR) Catherine Westall.

1757(?) (NH) D/E2/57/1 Messuage and malthouse adjoining plus 23 acres (later replaced by 20 acres under Enclosure Act), between William Litman on North side (=GWR), and John Hayne, gent on South side (=119HS). In 1757 marriage settlelement John Westall, currier (10 Catherine Murray, widow (2). Other parties = Geo. Glasse of New Inn, Mx (3) and Thos Mundy of Hungerford, gent and Henry Ellis of Hungerford, innholder (4) in respect of marriage of Joseph and Catherine. Messuage had been given to Joseph Westall by will of his grandfather Joseph Shipton. Tenants were Joseph Biss(?); Joseph Povey(?) and John Cannon.

1769 (NH) D/E2/57/1 contd: Joseph Westall of Charnham Street, victualler and Catherine and James Shipton of Hungerford. William King has replaced John Cannon as a tenant (see below)

1785 (NH) D/E2/57/1: Lease for one year of the property by Katherine Westall, 18th August, widow (again), of property to John Deadman. Says property now has John Cox(head?) on north (now railway bridge) and Matthew Bance on south (119 HS, NatWest).

1785 (NH) D/E2/57/1: mortgaged to William Coxhead and John Deadman.

1792 (UD) No entry for Westall nor Reeves

1795-1804 (QR) Thomas Watson for house and malthouse late Catherine Westalls, q.r. 6d.

1805-17 (QR) Thomas Reeves (amended to ..?.. Watson) for house and malthouse formerly Catherine Westalls, q.r. 6d.1818-25 (QR) Thomas Reeves for house and malthouse formerly Catherine Westalls, q.r. 6d.1819 (EA) Reeves: No pathway on north side, but entrance between next property (Cundell's) to south, Pearce's to north, ?Everlands Road.

Death of Mr Joseph Alexander:

The death took place on Tuesday of Mr Joseph Alexander, of Beacon farm, Hungerford, at the age of 87. He was the managing director of Alexander Bros (Hungerford) Ltd, agricultural and coal merchants, which firm was founded by his father the late Mr Joseph Alexander, and celebrated its centenary in December 1944.He had been associated with it all his life. Mr Alexander ented Beacon Farm in 1888, purchasing it some years later. In 1920 he also bought Horn Hill Farm, Hungeford. He was connected with the Hungerford Savings Bank, but although interested in the affairs of the town he did not take an active part in public life. He was a strong Methodist.The funeral takes place tomorrow (Friday) at the Bath-road Methodist Church, at 1.30pm.

1989 Redevelopment and complete renovation of building and site. Addition at rear of shops and offices ("The Cuttings") and rest of land sold to become part of municipal car park (with rear of 119HS), retaining line of burgage plots with original flint wall dividing the plots.2005 (CL) Void2011 (CL) Emma Bakker2016 (CL) Martin Rene Bakker

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